Conventionally, small form factor devices, such as handheld electronic devices, have a display arrangement that includes various layers. The various layers include at least a display technology layer, and may additionally include a sensing arrangement and/or a cover window disposed over the display technology layer. By way of example, the display technology layer may include or pertain to a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) that includes a Liquid Crystal Module (LCM). The LCM generally includes an upper glass sheet and a lower glass sheet that sandwich a liquid crystal layer therebetween. The sensing arrangement may be a touch sensing arrangement such as those used to create a touch screen. For example, a capacitive sensing touch screen can include substantially transparent sensing points or nodes dispersed about a sheet of glass (or plastic). In addition, the cover window, which is typically designed as the outer protective barrier, may be glass or plastic. However, glass tends to provide a better protective barrier given its strength and scratch resistance.
In general, the thicker the glass, the stronger it is. Unfortunately, with low profile handheld devices, the glass cover sheet is often relatively thin, which may reduce strength. However, improvements in glass strength may be possible with improved analysis techniques, which may reveal better ways of strengthening glass.
Thus, there is a continuing need for improved approaches to make glass covers for electronic devices that are not only thin but also sufficiently strong to avoid unnecessary damage.